Stop motion



Oct. 31, 1939. R. H. LAWSON STOP MOTION Filed March 2'7, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l f/YI/ENWR: R0352 T/zZ/l mm;

Oct. 31, 1939. H, L 2,178,142

STOP MOTION Filed March 27, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 Alli/5.4072.- 055 27 ZAWJJM Oct. 31, 1939.

Filed March 27, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 e5 a e J 69 3 b4 SI" I Z 5o 86 9 y as 55 73 74- JT] J k f/VYEA TdR: Bazaar/51M W50,

Oct. 31, 1939.

R, H. LAWSON STOP MOTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 27, 1936 JZ/I/EATWR. Bazaar/HM W501i;

Patented Oct. 31, 1939 I 2,178,142

j UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE STOP ,MOTION Robert H. Lawson, Pawtucket, R. 1., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. 1., a

corporation of Massachusetts Application March 27, 1936, Serial No. 71,192

6 Claims. (Cl. 66--157) This is an invention for application to all types if current fails due to breaking a wire, a poor of stop motions for textile machinery or the like connection, or for any other reason, no circuit will and is herein described and illustrated relative ever be completed. In the device herein disto a knitting machine for purposes of disclosure closed a solenoid has been connected in the cirand not by any reason of limitation. Among the cuit in such a manner that it holds a spring conobjects of the invention is the provision of a controlled element in one position so long as curtrol for stopping the machine when the electric rent is available. Just as soon as current fails current fails for any reason, this provision for this spring controlled element will throw-01f the stopping the machine being in addition to the driving connections of the machine thereby stop- 10 usual stop motion control set in operation by deping the same. As soon as current is available 10 tents controlled by the yarn, fabric, etc. Anthis additional means for stopping the machine other object of the invention is that of providhas no effect at all and does not influence the ing means for setting the electrically controlled rest of the stop motion in any respect. throw-off device prior to engaging the clutch of According to the usual construction of ma- 1 the machine so that the machine will not be chines of this sort an electrically controlled latch started and immediately stopped in the event the or similar device holds a belt shifting or a clutch operator has not completelyprepared the machine controlling lever in one position for driving the for running prior to engaging the clutch. The machine until action of one of the stop motions throw-011" device has a, lever engaged by a, latch releases said lever which immediately Shifts the or other retaining means which lever will be rebelt to a lose pulley or disengages the clutch by leased upon stopping of the machine and said means of a heavy spring. With such a constructhrow-oif device also causes current to be shut tion the operator has to p the lever and p off from the circuit. The lever will pass by the it to an operative position whereupon the latch latch and after current is discontinued, the latch or other electrically controlled retaining means will return to its normal position and will prevent for the lever will be engaged and will hold the a reverse movement of the lever.- A new device C u in engagement the belt on a d v has been attachedto the end of the lever for mainpulley as the. case may be. If it should so happen taining the latch open until the lever has passed the machine had stopp d o s e actuation by it to be locked by the same. a of the stop motion and the difliculty which caused an, I th drawings: such stopping were not completely remedied, the

Fig, 1 1 a el vati showin th general o lever would immediately be released and would struction of the clutch, throw-ofi lever, feeding y back to its Original p s on. This would indevice, the latch for thethrow-off lever and the volve a es starting of t hine for part o rr t stop; v r of a revolution and needless wear and tear on the 35, Fig. 2 is an elevation of that mechanism shown Operating Parts Of the machine and 0f the p in Fig. 1, parts being in section, and showing the mOtiOn- O v r this difficulty a p a devi e as seen from the end; controlling lever is provided so that a part of Fig. 3 is a detail, some parts being shown in. the throw-oil mechanism which would be latched section, of the latch box, latch and the no curin Operative po i i n by the electrically conrent stopping means atta h d th r t trolled latch or the like may be pulled to an ac- 40 40 Fig. 4 is a detail view corresponding to Fig.3. tive position without disturbance of the belt but showing the. latch and other parts in a posih r lu h. If any stop motion is still acttion after the machine has been stopped; ingupon the electrically controlled latch, this Fig. 5 is a semi-diagrammatic view showing the p e n movement of P Of the throw-off M electrical hook-up in applying the invention to a m h n will'show that fact to the p tor.

typical multi-fe'ed knitting machine. The latch will not retain the said throw-01f means In stop mechanisms previously used on knit? d t W l the eupo be necessary for the operting machines on other textile machinery in, ator to remedy all. difi'iculties attendant upon the which stopping devicesare actuated by completoriginal stopping of the machine before the ing a circuit as by the dropping of yarn controlled throw-off device can be set. Up to this p t 'detents or other similar devices, the failure of the e has been no disturbance of the driving current for any reason whatsoever will immedimechanism for; the machine and no false startately render the stop motion inoperative. This is ing as explained above. When the throw-off apparent since the machine continues to run exdevice can be set it is safe to pull in the clutch cept when a circuit is completed,and of course, and startthe machine.

Due to the construction of parts involved the end of the throw-off lever which is engaged by the electrically controlled latch is of such a length that it passes by the latch and would not easily move back and depress the latch on the return movement. Another member has been added to the end of this lever for holding the latch depressed after the end of the lever moves past it, but is so constructed that it has no effect when the lever is in latched position. Referring to the figures of drawings the side of the machine frame is indicated at I, a bracket projecting at 2 carrying a casing 3, cover 4, guard 5 and a spacing or supporting element 6. The drive shaft 1 is driven through a clutch generally indicated at 8, Fig. 2, one part of which is driven by a belt drive to pulley 9. The end of the shaft carrying pulley 9 is supported within a bearing at l at the upper end of an angular extension I. These elements are more or less conventional on machines of this type and have not been illustrated in detail for that reason.

The clutch is to be operated by means of a forked lever 2 which projects up through an opening in the cover to the casing, terminating in a handle l3. The forked ends l4 and I5 of this lever are free to turn upon a spindle 6 which extends through bearings l1 and I8 in opposite sides of the casing. This lever |2 has slotted openings at H! and which engage about the pins 2| and 22 which project at either side of a clutch operating collar and it is evident that movement of the lever 2 will move the collar and thus engage or disengage the clutch at the will of the operator.

Another forked lever 23 is fixed to spindle I6 and projects downwardly as shown at 24 having a spring 25 attached at the lower end of this projection and also to one of the books 26 on bracket 21 rigidly connected to the support 6. This bracket 21 is formed on an angle as indicated so that different adjustments of the spring may be obtained by hooking it to different ones of the hooks 26. The forked ends of lever 23 terminate in hooks 28 and 29 which partially encircle the ends of the pins 2| and 22 so that movement of the lever 23 under action of spring 25 will throw the clutch out of active engagement, but the said lever, as will later be explained, can be moved to the opposite position against the tension of spring 25 without so moving lever |2 or the clutch. Another lever 30 herein called the throw-off lever is attached by set screw 3| or by any other suit able means to the end of spindle 6 and rigidly moves therewith. The end of this lever 30 terminates in a widening part 32 which is latched in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 by a latch 33 and thus prevents action of the spring 25 throwing the clutch out of active engagement. As soon as latch 33 is withdrawn from the end of lever 30, as will happen whenever any one of the several stop motions on the machine is moved to complete a circuit, the spring will move all the elements 23, I2, 30 and the clutch to the opposite position from that shown in Fig. 1 whereupon the machine will stop.

The spindle l6 projects to the opposite side of the casing and has fixed thereto a lever arm 34 carrying a roller 35 which engages one projecting arm 36 of the switch blade 31, Fig. 5. This blade is pivoted at 38 on a bracket 39 and allows current to flow through the various stop motion connections or to be excluded therefrom depending upon whether or not the switch blade is in contact with element 40. When the clutch is engaged this switch will be closed against the action of a spring 4|, but when the stop motion is actuated lever 34 will be moved throughout a sufficient angle to allow the spring to open the switch and thus exclude current from the stop motions until the machine is to be started again.

A lever 42 is pivotally mounted at 43 and projects inwardly of the casing at 44 to terminate in a toe portion 45 which engages extension 24 of the forked lever 23. This lever has a spring 46 which is connected at its lower end to the element 6, this spring being merely for the purpose of holding the lever in opposite position to that shown in Fig. 1. This lever is used to set the throw-off mechanism prior to engaging the clutch. In previous constructions the lever |2 was employed for both these functions and if there was any tendency for the machine to stop again due to any one of the detents supported by the yarn being in position for completing the circuit, just as soon as switch 37 was closed, the latch 33 would be withdrawn again so that the stop motion would stop the machine. Such a method of operation necessitated starting the whole machine thus consuming a great deal of power and subjecting the machine to shock of starting and stopping for a partial revolution or so. By the present system of operation lever 42 is used to set throw-oil arm 30 against the tension of spring 25 and if latch 33 holds these elements in position, the clutch may safely be engaged and the machine started. If throw-off lever 30 is moved to a position in which it should be held by latch 33 and there is any further tendency of stop motions to complete a circuit and stop the machine, or in the particular construction herein shown, if there is a complete lack of current, the throw-off lever 30, etc., will not remain in position and the operator will look for further trouble before engaging the clutch and starting the machine. This comprises a very satisfactory mechanism for stopping the machine and for testing the same prior to starting it again, but does not make it necessary to employ any power or subject the machine to short, jerky periods of operation.

The latch 33 is briefly any electrically controlled latch or tripping mechanism which might be em ployed to hold the lever 30 and to release the same upon disturbance of any electrical circuit such as employed in these stop motions. In the particular example herein shown a box or casing 41 is attached to a support 48 which projects from the frame of the machine, this casing carrying latch 33 pivoted at 49 and being urged into the position shown in Fig. 3 by a spring 50. The

latch has projecting pins 5| at .either side which engage in the slots 52 in wings 53 one of which is pivoted at 54 within and to the casing at either side of the same. An armature or plate 55 is pivoted at 56 and a spring 51 tends to maintain the same up against stop pin 58 as shown in Fig. 3. When in lower position to which it is drawn by the magnetized cores 59 whenever any one of the detents drops to complete a circuit, the latch is swung down to the position of Fig. 4 and the wings 53 will be moved back by pins 5| since their lower ends are no longer held by elements 60, one at either side of the device,

which look the wings and through them the latch.

whenever the cores 59 are demagnetized.

The lever 30 is widened out at 32 and will be engaged by the latch to be held in the position of Fig. 3, but when released to the position of Fig. 4, the end of the lever passes beyond the latch so that the same may spring back to its original position under the influence of the spring 50; Therewoul'd be no 'harm'in this (if current was still maintained in the circuit and the arma'ture 5535 well as the elements 60 at- 5 tached thereto were heldin lower position. However -just as-soon as the lever 30, spindle l6 and switch 31 move through a part of their travel, the current willbe cut off so that spring 51 will immediatelymove the elements '55 and 60 back 10 to uppermost position as soon as the end 32 of the lever disengages latch 33. The latch will then be locked in position so that the lever 30 can not be swung past it for the purpose of setting the throw-off device to start the machine. -To overcome this difficulty, a plate BI is hinged to lever flla't 62, said plate having a curved part at B3 and a downwardly projecting hook 54. The hookli l engages the back of bracket 48 so that when the lever '30 is moved under the influence 2() of spring 25. the plate will be retained in position over latch 33 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Even though armature 55 is released by demagnetizing the cores, the latch will not be locked until the lever has been moved to extreme .position as in Fig. 3. This plate 6! avoids lengthening the lower part of lever 33, such lengthening being impossible due to restricted space at this part of the machine. The spring 65 attachedat 66 to the plate and at 61 to the lever tends to draw the plate into alignment with the end of the lever. g The stop motion which-has been described up to this point as well as all stop motions of the prior art of which we are aware, functions to stop the machine only in the event current is available. An additional mechanism has been attached to that already disclosed for the purpose of stopping the machine upon failure of current for anyreason, whatsoever. This no current stop as it is called herein may be applied to any conventional stop motion of similar nature to that herein disclosed, and would also be very desirable on all similar types of machines and is in .no way limited to knitting machines alone. The box 41 has attached thereto a bracket 68 having an angular extension 69 connected thereto but insulated from the first bracket and a second extension having a solenoid device 10 very similar to that employed to actuate the latch 33. A plate or armature H is hinged at 12 and has a stop 13 projecting from the lower side thereof which may strike against a part 14 of the extension 69. The bracket 68 extends outwardly and downwardly at 15 and has a spring 16 attached thereto which is also attached at a connection 11 beneath the armature 1| and the extending part 18 which projects therefrom for a purpose presently to be described. The projection 18 has a slot 19 adjacent the upper end which engages about a pin Bl] projecting from armature 55 and through the bracket 68. When current is available at the machine it is continuously flowing through the coils within the solenoid 10 and will maintain elements 1! and 18 in the position of Fig. 3 against the tension of the spring 16.

When this no current stop device is thus controlled the function of the mechanism within box 41 is completely independent thereof and works to stop the machine upon any disturbance of the yarn controlled detents and the like. However, in the event current should fail, spring 16 would immediately draw the attached members downwardly to the position of Fig. 4 and 75 through the action of the slot 19 on the pin 80,

would release lotch 33. Of course, this happens whenever switch 31 is openedupon stopping of the machine, but it is the main object of 'th'e mechanism described to stop the machine by releasing lever 30 whenever current fails for un- 5 expected reasons. Otherwise the machine would continue in operation without any stop motion affecting the same and considerable damage might be done to parts of the machine in case of broken butts on some instrumentalities, or in 1b the event of broken yarns, defective fabric might be knitted for a considerable period of time.

I Now referring to Fig. 5 the general description of the wiring hook-up for the machine will be explained. Any source of current might be used, 1'5 the most satisfactory being that of the usual light circuit, a plug 8! conveying the same to a transformer indicated at 82 for the usual purpose. The transformed current is carried up toswitch 31, and if this switch is closed, will be carried I sion relieving take-up arms or sweeps such as form the subject matter of co-pending United States application Ser. No. 81,897. Aseries of j detents 84 equivalent in number to the number of yarns being used in the machine would be mounted on supports 85 to contact ring 83 and complete a circuit through ground as indicated in the event of any unusual condition with respect to the yarn at that particular detent. The current iiows from ring 83 to a second ring 86 having guides 81 and detents 88 of conventional type mounted on individual supports 89. These detents are out of contact with ring 86 when the yarn is passing through guide 81 properly but upon any unusual happening, will drop to make a contact with the ring and complete a circuit through the ground as illustrated. Current. is carried from a second ring to athird ring 9l) adjacent the needles of the knitting machine and at that point there are two detents or contacting elements 9| and 92 either of which may complete a circuit through ground to stop the machine. Current then passes down a lead 93 to 5 terminal 94 thence through another connection 95 to solenoid 10. From the solenoid current passes through wire 96 to a terminal 91 and back to the transformer completing the circuit. Another wire 98 connects at the terminal 91 and provides a source of current for the coils within the box 41. These coils are grounded as shown to the frame of the machine and it is obvious that this solenoid within box 41 will be energized whenever any one of the detents above described grounds the current in rings 83, 86 or 90 to the frame thus actuating latch 33 and stopping the machine. The solenoid within box 41 may be grounded directly to the frame through the box or as has been illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 may be grounded through a terminal 99 back to the frame. In this event a wire would have to be run from a post under the box to the said terminal. As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 the end 15 of bracket 68 carries an insulating piece I00 through which terminals 94 and 91 pass. This forms a convenient place for attaching the various wires necessary. The invention has been described in more or less specific terms in order to give a clear illustration of the manner in which the device may be constructed and operated, but it is evident that many changes might be made and that the principles of the invention may be applied to many stop motions which are quite varied from the particular one shown herein. The specific disclosure of the case is to be considered as illustrative only and the scope of the invention is not to be limited except by the claims appended hereto. 1

I claim:

1. In a stop motion the combination of electrically actuated means for releasing a driving mechanism to render the same inoperative, an electrical circuit connected to a source of current and to said electrically actuated means, detents for completing a circuit through said means upon conditions requiring the operation of the stop motion, and electrically controlled means in the circuit operated upon failure of current to control said electrically actuated means.

2. A stop motion having in combination an electrically controlled latch including a solenoid to withdraw the latch at certain times, an electrical circuit connected to said solenoid, a ground on said solenoid and means functioning with said circuit to complete a ground. therefrom to that of the solenoid, another solenoid within said circuit and continuously under the influence of current flowing therethrough, said second mentioned solenoid having means connected thereto for withdrawing said latch independently of the action of the said first mentioned solenoid.

3. A stop motion having in combination an electrical circuit normally connected to a source of current-and an electrically controlled latch connected to function in said circuit said latch being constructed to be released only upon actuation of means for completing the flow of current through said circuit, another connected circuit and control for said latch normally maintained in a position not to afiect the latch so long as current is flowing, but operative upon failure of current to release the said latch.

40 4. In a machine of the type described, a stop motion including electrically controlled means for initiating the stopping of the machine, an electrical circuit, a solenoid connected to said circuit and operable to actuate said electrically controlled means, a plurality of detents within the circuit and movable for completing the circuit to energize said solenoid, another solenoid within said circuit normally energized when the machine is running and means functioning when current fails to flow in said circuit and acting 7 a solenoid effective to withdraw said last mentioned means and to release the throw-01f means, said solenoid being connected to a circuit capable of being completed whereby the solenoid will be energized upon movement of a yarn controlled,

detent, another solenoid functioning to withdraw said means for retaining the power throw-oi! means whenever current ceases to flow in the circuit.

6. A stop motion for a knitting machine having.

in combination power throw-off means, a latch for retaining said throw-ofi means in engaged position, an electrical circuit, a series of detents for completing said circuit upon an abnormal condition in the yarn passing through said detents, a solenoid in said circuit and energized upon movement of said detents to withdraw said latch, a second solenoid in said circuit energized when current is present in the circuit, means controlled by said second solenoid and inactive to withdraw said latch when current is present, but so constructed as to release the latch when current fails to flow in said circuit. 

